List of settlements in Alabama facts for kids

Map of the United States with Alabama highlighted.

Alabama is a state in the southeastern United States. It has many different types of communities where people live. These places are officially counted and organized in different ways. As of 2010, Alabama had 460 places that were officially "incorporated" as cities or towns. This means they have their own local governments. There are also many "census-designated places" and "unincorporated communities."

Understanding Alabama's Communities

What is an Incorporated City or Town?

An incorporated city or town is a community that has its own official local government. This government can make local laws, provide services like police and fire departments, and collect taxes. It's like a small country within the state, with its own rules and leaders. When a place is incorporated, it means the people living there voted to create this official government. This helps them manage their community better.

Alabama has many incorporated cities and towns. Some of the largest and most well-known include:

• Birmingham: This is Alabama's largest city. It is a major center for business and culture.
• Montgomery: This city is the capital of Alabama. It is where the state government is located.
• Mobile: A historic port city on the Gulf Coast. It is important for shipping and trade.
• Huntsville: Known as "Rocket City" because of its strong connection to space exploration and technology.
• Tuscaloosa: Home to a large university and a vibrant community.
• Dothan: An important city in the southeastern part of the state, often called the "Peanut Capital of the World."
• Decatur: A city located on the Tennessee River, known for its industry.
• Florence: A city in North Alabama with a rich musical history.
• Anniston: A city in Calhoun County, known for its historical sites.
• Gadsden: Located on the Coosa River, it has a strong industrial past.
• Phenix City: A city right on the border with Georgia, across from Columbus.
• Prattville: A growing city just north of Montgomery.
• Selma: A city with a very important role in the American Civil Rights Movement.
• Troy: Home to Troy University, a well-known public university.
• Opelika: A city in Lee County, close to Auburn.
• Oxford: A city in Calhoun County, known for its shopping and recreation.
• Pell City: Located on Logan Martin Lake, offering many outdoor activities.
• Russellville: A city in Franklin County, serving as a regional hub.
• Scottsboro: Known for its famous "Unclaimed Baggage Center."
• Sylacauga: Famous for its marble quarries.
• Talladega: Home to the Talladega Superspeedway, a famous NASCAR racetrack.
• Tuscumbia: The birthplace of Helen Keller.
• Tuskegee: Home to the historic Tuskegee University.
• Valley: A city in Chambers County, near the Georgia border.
• Vestavia Hills: A suburban city near Birmingham.
• Wetumpka: Known for its unique downtown and the Wetumpka Impact Crater.
• Winfield: A city in Marion County.
• York: A city in Sumter County.

What is a Census-Designated Place (CDP)?

A census-designated place (often called a CDP) is a community that doesn't have its own official local government, like an incorporated city or town. However, the U.S. Census Bureau still defines it as a place where people live together. They do this to collect and share data about these areas. CDPs are like neighborhoods or small towns that aren't officially incorporated. They might rely on the county government for services.

Some examples of CDPs in Alabama include:

• Alexandria: A community in Calhoun County.
• Axis: Located in Mobile County.
• Brook Highland: A community in Shelby County.
• Fort Rucker: A U.S. Army post in Dale County.
• Harvest: A growing community in Madison County.
• Hazel Green: Another community in Madison County.
• Holt: A place in Tuscaloosa County.
• Ladonia: Located in Russell County.
• Meridianville: A community north of Huntsville.
• Saks: A large CDP in Calhoun County.
• Theodore: A community south of Mobile.
• Tillmans Corner: A busy area near Mobile.

What are Unincorporated Communities?

Unincorporated communities are places where people live that are not part of any incorporated city or town, and they are not defined as a census-designated place either. These areas do not have their own local government. Instead, they are usually governed directly by the county they are in. Services like roads, police, and fire protection are provided by the county government. These communities can be very small, like a few houses, or larger groups of homes without official boundaries.

Examples of unincorporated communities in Alabama include:

• Abel (Clay County)
• Abernant (Tuscaloosa County)
• Acmar (St. Clair County)
• Ada (Montgomery County)
• Adger (Jefferson County)
• Alabama City (Etowah County)
• Alabama Port (Mobile County)
• Alberta (Wilcox County)
• Alden (Jefferson County)
• Allen (Clarke County)
• Alma (Clarke County)
• Almond (Randolph County)
• Alpine (Talladega County)
• Alton (Jefferson County)
• Anne Manie (Wilcox County)
• Aquilla (Washington County)
• Arkadelphia (Cullman County)
• Arlington (Wilcox County)
• Armstrong (Bullock County)
• Awin (Wilcox County)
• Bangor (Blount County)
• Bankston (Fayette County)
• Barfield (Clay County)
• Barlow (Washington County)
• Barney (Walker County)
• Bassetts Creek (Washington County)
• Battens Crossroads (Geneva County)
• Bazemore (Fayette County)
• Belle Mina (Limestone County)
• Belleville (Conecuh County)
• Bellwood (Geneva County)
• Beulah (Covington County)
• Big Cove (Madison County)
• Bigbee (Washington County)
• Birmingport (Jefferson County)
• Bladon Springs (Choctaw County)
• Blount Springs (Blount County)
• Bluff (Fayette County)
• Bolinger (Choctaw County)
• Bolling (Butler County)
• Bon Secour (Baldwin County)
• Booth (Autauga County)
• Bradford (Jefferson County)
• Bradley (Covington County)
• Braggs (Lowndes County)
• Bremen (Cullman County)
• Branchville (St. Clair County)
• Brierfield (Bibb County)
• Bromley (Baldwin County)
• Brooklyn (Conecuh County)
• Brooksville (Blount County)
• Browns (Dallas County)
• Brownsboro (Madison County)
• Bryant (Jackson County)
• Buena Vista (Monroe County)
• Buhl (Tuscaloosa County)
• Bull Slough (Conecuh County)
• Burkville (Lowndes County)
• Burmuda (Conecuh County)
• Burningtree Mountain (Morgan County)
• Burnt Corn (Monroe County)
• Burntout (Franklin County)
• Burnwell (Walker County)
• Caddo (Lawrence County)
• Cahaba (Dallas County)
• Campbell (Clarke County)
• Capshaw (Limestone County)
• Cecil (Montgomery County)
• Centerville (Conecuh County)
• Chancellor (Geneva County)
• Chapman (Butler County)
• Claud (Elmore County)
• Clopton (Dale County)
• Cloverdale (Lauderdale County)
• Coden (Mobile County)
• Cook Springs (St. Clair County)
• Corner (Jefferson County)
• Cottondale (Tuscaloosa County)
• Cottonton (Russell County)
• Coy (Wilcox County)
• Cragford (Clay County)
• Crane Hill (Cullman County)
• Crawford (Russell County)
• Cromwell (Choctaw County)
• Cropwell (St. Clair County)
• Crosston (Jefferson County)
• Dallas (Blount County)
• Danville (Morgan County)
• Dawson (DeKalb County)
• De Armanville (Calhoun County)
• Delmar (Winston County)
• Dickinson (Clarke County)
• Dixiana (Jefferson County)
• Dixons Mills (Marengo County)
• Docena (Jefferson County)
• Dolomite (Jefferson County)
• Duncanville (Tuscaloosa County)
• Eastaboga (Calhoun County)
• Eight Mile (Mobile County)
• Elgin (Lauderdale County)
• Empire (Walker County)
• Equality (Coosa County)
• Flat Rock (Jackson County)
• Fort McClellan (Calhoun County)
• Fort Mitchell (Russell County)
• Fort Morgan (Baldwin County)
• Franklin (Monroe County)
• Gallion (Hale County)
• Gorham's Bluff (Jackson County)
• Grady (Montgomery County)
• Greenhill (Lauderdale County)
• Green Pond (Bibb County)
• Grove Oak (DeKalb County)
• Gum Springs (Blount County)
• Higdon (Jackson County)
• Highland Home (Crenshaw County)
• Holy Trinity (Russell County)
• Hoods Crossroads (Blount County)
• Hope Hull (Montgomery County)
• Houston (Winston County)
• Hulaco (Morgan County)
• Inverness (Bullock County)
• Inverness (Shelby County)
• Irvington (Mobile County)
• Jack (Coffee County)
• Java (Coffee County)
• Kellerman (Tuscaloosa County)
• Kent (Elmore County)
• Kimbrough (Wilcox County)
• Knoxville (Greene County)
• Lacey's Spring (Morgan County)
• Lacon (Morgan County)
• Lake Purdy (Shelby County)
• Le Moyne (Mobile County)
• Letohatchee (Lowndes County)
• Lillian (Baldwin County)
• Lower Peachtree (Wilcox County)
• Majestic (Jefferson County)
• Marion Junction (Dallas County)
• Marvyn (Lee County)
• Masseyline (Jefferson County)
• McCalla (Jefferson County)
• Mellow Valley (Clay County)
• Millers Ferry (Wilcox County)
• Mon Louis (Mobile County)
• Montrose (Baldwin County)
• Morgan City (Morgan County)
• Moulton Heights (Morgan County)
• Mount High (Blount County)
• Mount Hope (Lawrence County)
• Mount Meigs (Montgomery County)
• Mountain Creek (Chilton County)
• Newell (Randolph County)
• Normal (Madison County)
• Oak Grove (Jefferson County)
• Oakville (Lawrence County)
• Orion (Pike County)
• Palmerdale (Jefferson County)
• Perote (Bullock County)
• Peterson (Tuscaloosa County)
• Plantersville (Dallas County)
• Prairieville (Hale County)
• Quinton (Walker County)
• Ralph (Tuscaloosa County)
• Ramer (Montgomery County)
• Red Hill (Blount County)
• Remlap (Blount County)
• Safford (Dallas County)
• Saginaw (Shelby County)
• Salem (Lee County)
• Samantha (Tuscaloosa County)
• Sawyerville (Hale County)
• Sayre (Jefferson County)
• Seale (Russell County)
• Selfville (Blount County)
• Seminole (Baldwin County)
• Semmes (Mobile County)
• Snow Hill (Wilcox County)
• Spring Hill (Barbour County)
• Spring Valley (Colbert County)
• Sprott (Perry County)
• St. Clair Springs (St. Clair County)
• Stapleton (Baldwin County)
• Stockton (Baldwin County)
• Straight Mountain (Blount County)
• Summit (Blount County)
• Tannehill (Tuscaloosa County)
• Tanner (Limestone County)
• Tensaw (Baldwin County)
• Valhermoso Springs (Morgan County)
• Verbena (Chilton County)
• Village Springs (Jefferson County)
• Vineland (Marengo County)
• Vinemont (Cullman County)
• Wagarville (Washington County)
• Watson (Jefferson County)
• Waugh (Montgomery County)
• Wilmer (Mobile County)
• Winterboro (Talladega County)
• Wren (Lawrence County)
• Yellow Pine (Washington County)

• For places that are in more than one county, the main county (according to the U.S. Census) is listed first.